Constable cleared of theft to appeal over dismissal
APOLICE constable cleared by a crown court jury of shoplifting but sacked by a disciplinary panel is set to appeal against the decision.
Pc Mohammed Lachiri says his life is in “tatters” after he was found to have been guilty of gross misconduct by a three-man hearing at the North Wales Police headquarters in Colwyn Bay last Thursday.
Mr Lachiri, when confronted by security staff at Debenhams in Llandudno in December 2016, had given a false date of birth and address and denied he was a policeman. He was given an exclusion order by the store.
At the Caernarfon Crown Court trial in July last year, he’d blamed absent-mindedness for walking out of Debenhams with a £72 bottle of Giorgio Armani aftershave, and said it was human error when he wasn’t thinking because of stress.
Chairman Leighton Hughes announced that PC Lachiri was considered to have breached the standards of professional behaviour and there would be “dismissal without notice”. The PC, of Graham Avenue, Prestatyn, has until next Wednesday to appeal to Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones.
Mr Lachiri, who had been 17 years in the force, said to the Daily Post: “When the security guard confronted me at Debenhams, I was like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
“I wasn’t thinking properly when I gave my name and address, I was in shock and was being irrational.
“I gave them my bank card, but I had my driving licence with me. I should have given them that, but I didn’t think to at the time.”
He continued: “I was stressed out as my mother was getting worse with dementia in Morocco, and we had problems with our landlord.”
When asked what effect the sacking has had on him, an emotional Mr Lachiri said: “It’s been devastating, to be honest with you, the two-year wait for the investigation was awful for my mental health.
“My marriage is not in a good state. It has affected every aspect of my life. I’m in a very bad state and I think the sacking was unfair and the situation was blown out of proportion.”
He continued: “I’m going to appeal as I’m not a dishonest person. I served North Wales Police for 17 years and I was renowned for my work, I’d never done anything wrong before.”
He added: “I’d love to work for North Wales Police again, and hope my appeal is successful.”
DI Tim Evans said “Mr Lachiri has a right of appeal, and should he choose to do so it would be inappropriate for North Wales Police to provide further comment at this stage.”